Massive search underway near Merritt after riderless horse found
A massive search is underway for a cowboy missing near Merritt.
The man, 32-year-old Ben Tyner, has been working at the Nicola Ranch for the past three months.
Police spokeswoman Const. Tracy Dunsmore said emergency services were called at 12:30 p.m. on Monday with a report that a saddled horse with no rider had been found by loggers in the area. The loggers had taken the horse to Nicola Ranch, where it was recognized as belonging to Tyner.
Dunsmore said the man had been on days off and wasn’t believed to be missing. He was last seen Saturday afternoon.
A search began involving the Nicola Valley SAR and Kamloops SAR, backed by several volunteers from other search-and-rescue groups.
On Monday night there were 40 search-and-rescue workers on site plus police dogs, snowmobiles and RCMP air support, including drones. The search continued Tuesday, with the help of the Lower Nicola Indian Band.
Dunsmore said that the search effort was being hampered because no one knew where the man was headed and there was active logging and herds of wild horses in the area.
According to search-andrescue notes provided to Postmedia News, Tyner is a professional cowboy, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds with an athletic build.
The notes state Tyner is the new cattle boss at Nicola Ranch and is from Wyoming. He was last seen wearing a red wool cap with black trim and cowboy boots.
It’s presumed Tyner went out on a day off to search for lost cows and that he may have been using a drone at the time.
The notes state Tyner didn’t have a cellphone as there is no cell service in the area.